Is the changeling a character?

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**TheAvengingKnee**

I was just curious, I played a friend the other day and we couldn't find anything saying he was a character but it is possible we missed it, is the changeling in a squad of horrors a character?

Admittedly we didn't spend long looking cause it didn't make a huge difference one way or the other at the time that the question came up.

**Happyjew**

Any Unique model (aka a named model) is a character.

**TheAvengingKnee**

Ok, I was thinking that but couldn't find anything that said that in the rules. Where does it say that?

**Octopoid**

It's interesting... unless there's something in the Daemons FAQ, the BRB doesn't mention anything about the Changeling being a character, even though it does update a number of other models from that codex.

EDIT: I didn't see anything in the FAQ either. The BRB talks about "Special Characters" on p. 110, but this only limits them to how many can be in an army. It does not give them the Character rule... though it would certainly imply they are. RAI vs. RAW?

**Happyjew**

I believe it is on the page on Characters, where it mentions unique models like Mephiston.

**solkan**

Octopoid wrote:
It's interesting... unless there's something in the Daemons FAQ, the BRB doesn't mention anything about the Changeling being a character, even though it does update a number of other models from that codex.

EDIT: I didn't see anything in the FAQ either. The BRB talks about "Special Characters" on p. 110, but this only limits them to how many can be in an army. It does not give them the Character rule... though it would certainly imply they are. RAI vs. RAW?

Consider the fact that none of the named models in that book are in the reference section (or the rulebook FAQ), none of them are referenced in the Chaos Daemons FAQ, and all of them are special characters because they have names.

"They didn't update this special character's profile to make it explicit that it is a character" is probably a pretty good personality test.

**Octopoid**

solkan wrote:
Consider the fact that none of the named models in that book are in the reference section (or the rulebook FAQ), none of them are referenced in the Chaos Daemons FAQ, and all of them are special characters because they have names.

Do all those other individuals have the Independent Character special rule? I don't actually have the Daemons codex.

**Elric Greywolf**

Happyjew wrote:
I believe it is on the page on Characters, where it mentions unique models like Mephiston.

In my (newer) Codex, models are listed as "Unit Type: Infantry (character)." This means they are a character. Some of these models have the IC USR. Other of my models have an updated profile in the 6th BRB which makes them characters.

The BRB makes mention of Mephiston (p63) I think to indicate that models with "Unit Composition: 1 (Unique)" or "Number/squad: Unique" are also characters. This means all the named characters who weren't updated in the 6th Appendix are characters.

In the Daemons codex, the Changeling is "Unique" and so would, I think, qualify as a character, even though this is nowhere RAW. It makes sense. Although, with his WS/T/Sv, I'd always deny a challenge and keep hoping that Glamour goes off!

**TheAvengingKnee**

If they are listed as an upgrade character in their unit type would that make them count as a character?

Unit Type:
Infantry. The Changeling is always fielded with a unit of Horrors, picked as a normal Troops choice. The Changeling is simply an upgrade character for this unit.

**Happyjew**

Elric Greywolf wrote:
Happyjew wrote:
I believe it is on the page on Characters, where it mentions unique models like Mephiston.

In my (newer) Codex, models are listed as "Unit Type: Infantry (character)." This means they are a character. Some of these models have the IC USR. Other of my models have an updated profile in the 6th BRB which makes them characters.

The BRB makes mention of Mephiston (p63) I think to indicate that models with "Unit Composition: 1 (Unique)" or "Number/squad: Unique" are also characters. This means all the named characters who weren't updated in the 6th Appendix are characters.

In the Daemons codex, the Changeling is "Unique" and so would, I think, qualify as a character, even though this is nowhere RAW. It makes sense. Although, with his WS/T/Sv, I'd always deny a challenge and keep hoping that Glamour goes off!

If that were true, Mephiston would be the only named character (not counting IC's) that would be a character. And Bjorn, because he was FAQ's to be a character. At least with the Nid FAQ, tehy made it somewhat clearer:

Tyranid FAQ wrote:Q: Tyranid Special Characters. Are Tyranid Special Characters
considered to be special versions of the standard creatures of their type
for the purposes of using psychic powers, biomorphs and special rules?
For example, is the Swarmlord considered to be a Hive Tyrant for the
purposes of using Hive Tyrant psychic powers? Similarly, is
Deathleaper considered to be a Lictor for the purposes of Chameleonic
Skin and Pheromone Trail, is the Doom of Malan’tai considered to be a
Zoanthrope for the purposes of Warp Field, is Old One Eye considered
to be Carnifex for the purposes of Living Battering Ram and are
Ymgarl Genestealers considered to be Genestealers for the purposes of
Brood Telepathy? (p56-61)
A. Yes in all cases.

Which implies that all named Tyranid creatures (including Ymgarl Genestealers apparently) are in fact special characters and therefore are characters. I doubt they intended Ymgarl Genestealers to be though.

**jegsar**

I thought they said "unique" not named. there is a difference there. I do however play the changing as a character that is part of the squad and cannot leave.

**HoverBoy**

TheAvengingKnee wrote:
If they are listed as an upgrade character in their unit type would that make them count as a character?

Unit Type:
Infantry. The Changeling is always fielded with a unit of Horrors, picked as a normal Troops choice. The Changeling is simply an upgrade character for this unit.

Probably, there are plenty of those around and everyone plays them as characters.

**TheAvengingKnee**

Ok, I wasn't sure if that was enough or not, it calls them an upgrade character but I didn't know if there were any other cases where that made them an actual character.

**HoverBoy**

People just go of the fact the word "character" is in there.

**Elric Greywolf**

Happyjew wrote:
Elric Greywolf wrote:
Happyjew wrote:
I believe it is on the page on Characters, where it mentions unique models like Mephiston.

In my (newer) Codex, models are listed as "Unit Type: Infantry (character)." This means they are a character. Some of these models have the IC USR. Other of my models have an updated profile in the 6th BRB which makes them characters.

The BRB makes mention of Mephiston (p63) I think to indicate that models with "Unit Composition: 1 (Unique)" or "Number/squad: Unique" are also characters. This means all the named characters who weren't updated in the 6th Appendix are characters.

In the Daemons codex, the Changeling is "Unique" and so would, I think, qualify as a character, even though this is nowhere RAW. It makes sense. Although, with his WS/T/Sv, I'd always deny a challenge and keep hoping that Glamour goes off!

If that were true, Mephiston would be the only named character (not counting IC's) that would be a character.

You need to read the posts you reply to, especially since in this instance I was agreeing with you. Read better.

In reading the FAQ, Question 48 solves this thread, and supports my earlier statement (and Jewboy's earlier statement):

"Do models classified as unique count as characters?" "Yes."

The Changeling is a character. Problem solved.

**Raezazel**

Page 110 in the rulebook also states:

"[...] these unique individuals who stand out from normal characters because they have a personal name and not just a title, are called 'special characters'."

And I'm going to guess that 'The Changeling' is his name and not just a title.

**BryllCream**

Raezazel wrote:
Page 110 in the rulebook also states:

"[...] these unique individuals who stand out from normal characters because they have a personal name and not just a title, are called 'special characters'."

And I'm going to guess that 'The Changeling' is his name and not just a title.

Actually "Changeling" is a title. Only Tzeentch knows his true name, "for it gives him control over the Changeling".

**Octopoid**

And while I certainly agree that he should be treated as a character for all relevant purposes, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Tzeentch had seven or eight Changelings running around the galaxy.